Improvement in life-preserving dresses



C. S. MEBRIMAN. Improvement in Life-Preserving- Dresses. No. 128,971. Patentedluly16,1s72.

STATES PATENT CLARK S. MERRIMAN, 0F VALLISCA, IOWA.

Specification forming part of Letters Patent No. 128,971, dated July 16, 1872.

To whom it may concern:

Be it known that I, CLARK S. MERRIMAN, of Vallisca, in the county of Montgomery and State of Iowa, have invented certain new and useful Improvements in Life Preserving Swimming-Dresses and I hereby declare that the following is a full and exact description thereof, reference being had to the accompanying drawing making part of this specification, in which- Figure l represents a man fully equipped with the dress ready for service; Fig. 2, a longitudinal section of the dress; and Fig. 3,

'a section, showing the mode of attachment of the upper and lower portions of the dress.

The letters of reference indicate the same parts in the different gures wherever they occur.

The object of my invention is to provide a water-proof life-preserving dress, sufficiently inflated with air to sustain the weight required, while the limbs are allowed full freedom of action in swimming, and the vital heat is retained in the body, the 'intervention of a stratum of air between the body and the dress acting as a non-conductor of heat.

The dress is composed of two principal parts, A and B. The upper portion A consists of the shirt or jacket a, head-piece b, sleeves c, and gloves d, all in one piece, and made of rubber-cloth or other water-'proof material. The lower portion B is composed of the pantaloons and boots in one piece of similar material. The front of the head-piece b, corresponding with the face of the wearer, is made highly elastic, and has an aperture, e, of suitable size to expose the eyes, nose, and mouth. The top, back, and sides of the head-piece b are made double, forming a cavity for the purpose of admitting of expansion by inflation. The effect of this iniiation is not only the support of the head when it rests upon the surface of the water, but it draws the elastic edges of the cavity e tight around the face, preventing the ingress of water to the interior of the dress. The back and front of the shirt a are also double, the cavity in the back extending upward over the back of the neck to the head. All these cavities are provided with -flexible tubes long enough to reach the mouth of the wearer, and have proper valves and stop-cocks. By means of these tubes the several parts of the dress may be inated, independently, to any desired degree. The cavities in both front and rear do not extend laterally, that they may not interfere with the action -of the arms. The lower edge of the shirt a has a thick band, o, of elastic ma terial, which projects inwardly, and stretches over and closes under the flange g of the lower portion B, yas hereinafter described. The lower portion B has a waistband, f, faced with a yielding elastic material, such as sponge, rubber, or its equivalent. At or nearthe upper edge of the waistband f a flange, g, is formed, of elastic material. The waistband is re-enforced by a rigid band or hoop, l, of sufficient stiffness to resist the pressure of the waistbelt 7c. This band may be either cylindrical, or, as in the present instance, a transverse section of a hollow cone with the larger diameter uppermost. It may be made of metal, wood, papier-mache', or other equivalent material, and is secured to the waistband of the pantaloons in a permanent and water-tight manner. In the present instance it is enveloped in a fold of the material and securely cemented therein. The portion B is held in position on the body by straps or Suspenders passing over the shoulders.

In use, no part of the ordinary clothing except the hat needs to be removed. The part B is rst put on and the straps i passed over the shoulders; it is thus sustained in position while the hands are occupied in putting on the upper part A. The elastic band O is stretched over the iiange g of the waistband, and secured by buckling the waist-belt 7c, which, passing through loops or beckets, presses the band o close to the elastic face of the waistband just below the flange g, forming a water- Prion.

Having thus fully described my invention, in a water-tight manner to the portion B, as what I claim as new, and desire to secure by and for the purpose specified. Letters Patent, is CLARK S.v MERRIMAN, The combination of the upper portion A, the lower portion B provided with lian ges, as Witnesses: described, the Waist-strap k, and rigid band CEAS. EVERETT, l, when the said band is permanently secured A. D. EVERETT. 

